August 6, 2021–Since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has worked to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons program. On Wednesday, UN Security Council members met to discuss that work.
‘Gaps, Inconsistencies And Discrepancies’
Thomas Markram, deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addressed the council with an update. First, the COVID-19 pandemic has faced greater difficulty advancing progress. Second, the Syrian government has yet to fully disclose and destroy its chemical weapons program.
“As a result of the identified gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies that remained unresolved,” Markram said he could not consider Syria’s declaration to be “considered accurate and complete in accordance” with the convention.
In April, the organization released a detailed 65-page report about the challenges faced by the technical team. It also reported its findings on the Syrian government’s use of toxic gas and chlorine.
Norway ‘Discouraged’
“It is discouraging to note yet again that very little progress has been made regarding the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria,” Norway’s Representative Odd-Inge Kvalheim said.
United States: Continued Threat of Chemical Weapons
U.S. Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the OPCW has a “critical mandate” to complete to counter the “continued threat of chemical weapons use” in Syria. The U.S. Treasury has a series of sanctions against the Syrian regime. On July 28, it added several new individuals and entities to its list of those sanctioned by the U.S. government. The list includes Syrian military leaders, prison guards and intelligence officials.
India: Progress Made With In-Person Meetings
“We encourage Syria to continue its engagement and cooperation with the OPCW so as to resolve all pending issues expeditiously,” said India’s Representative T.S. Tirumurti. He said he is encouraged by in-person meetings taking place in Syria.
Russia Upset About July 8 Air Strikes
Russia’s Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy argued that the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) is illegitimate. He went on at length in almost a diatribe against OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias. “The more Syrians try to meet the Technical Secretariat halfway, hosting inspection teams in good faith and accepting intrusive verifications, the more criticism they receive,” Polyanskiy said.
Furthermore, he complained that a July 8 airstrike in Douma, where two chlorine cylinders linked to a 2018 attack had been located.
China Cites ‘Politiciztion’ of OPCW
China’s Representative Sun Zhigiang called into question the credibility of the organization.
“Regrettably, like numerous previous reports, this report has yet to provide a professional, scientific and convincing response to the issue of technical gaps in investigative procedures and the chain of custody in relevant reports on the Syrian chemical-weapons issue,” Sun said. “In recent years, the OPCW has continued to show a worrying tendency towards increased politicization. Division and confrontation are replacing consultation and cooperation.”
Kenya Calls for End to Investigation
Meanwhile, Kenya’s representative called for the investigations into Syria’s chemical weapons to end.
Additional reporting for this story by Spencer Hayes.
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